No adventure compares to driving across the United States. I鈥檒l never forget my first coast-to-coast drive. It was two friends and me, post college, in a beat-up Subaru loaded with everything I owned. We took the long way home, starting in the farmlands of Vermont and making out-of-the-way pitstops for hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains听of Tennessee, dining at legendary barbecue spots across Mississippi, and listening to live music in New Orleans. We drove west, climbed the highest peak in Texas, ate green chile in New Mexico, and stared into the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Most nights, we slept in a tent and dreamed of where the next day would take us. When we finally crossed the California state line toward our final destination, I remember feeling like I wanted to stay on the road forever.

The cross-country road trip is an American rite, a true pilgrimage where you can plan only so much; the rest will unfold wherever the road goes. These three epic journeys have starting and ending points, as well as some spots that may be worth pulling over for along the way, but what you make of the trip鈥攁nd what you ultimately take away from it鈥攊s up to you.

We鈥檝e picked three routes on major highways that cross the country (for a Southwest specific guide, explore our seven best road trips of that region), but along the way, we鈥檝e provided suggestions for detours and byways that get you off the beaten path and out of your car to stretch your legs, experience local culture, and see the sights you鈥檒l be talking about all the way to your next stop. You鈥檒l pull over for things like meteor craters, giant art installations, and donuts. With visits to roadside national monuments, waterfalls, and hot springs鈥攁nd with stays at unique hotels, campsites, and cabins along the way, these road trips aren鈥檛 just a long drive, they鈥檙e an incredible adventure waiting to happen.

The Music Lover鈥檚 Journey: Boston, Massachusetts, to Seattle, Washington

Route: Interstate 90

Distance: 3,051 miles

This northern route across the U.S. follows Interstate 90 from east to west, passing by major cities like Cleveland, Chicago, and Minneapolis. But you鈥檒l also touch on some of the country鈥檚 coolest wild spaces, like the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, the Black Hills of South Dakota, and Yellowstone National Park in Montana. Inspire your road trip playlist by checking out the outdoor music venues and festivals throughout this route.

Pitstop: The Berkshires, Massachusetts

Hop on Interstate 90 in Boston and point it west. Your first stop is the Berkshires, a mountainous region filled with charming small towns 120 miles west of Boston. Go for a hike in , then pick up a tangleberry pie or farm-fresh apples from market in Great Barrington. In Stockbridge, the is worth a stop to learn more about American painter Norman Rockwell, who lived in the area, or check the performance calendar at , home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, for major touring acts in this pastoral outdoor music venue. It鈥檚 worth the 30-mile detour off the highway to North Adams to post up for a night or two at (from $194), a revamped motor lodge that hosts guided hikes, live music, and pop-up dinners.

Must See: Niagara Falls, New York

Peel off the highway in Buffalo, New York, for a visit to , America鈥檚 oldest state park and home to its three namesake waterfalls. Grab a yellow poncho and a ticket ($14) to view the falls from below at the observation decks.

Pitstop: Saint Charles, Iowa

Take a detour to visit Saint Charles, Iowa, home to the four-day held each August on a 350-acre plot of grassland. This year鈥檚 headliners include Tyler, the Creator, Kacey Musgraves, and Lana Del Ray. You can camp on site during the festival and hop a free shuttle into nearby Des Moines. If you can鈥檛 make the show, Des Moines still delivers, with 800 miles of trails to explore on foot or bike, including the paved 25-mile , a converted rail-trail with an iconic bridge 迟丑补迟鈥檚 lit up at night over the Des Moines River valley. rents bikes.

Pitstop: Black Hills, South Dakota

There鈥檚 tons to see in the Black Hills of South Dakota, including famous highlights like and , as well as lesser known gems like the third longest caves in the world at or the annual buffalo roundup each September in . Grab donuts for the road from , a famed roadside attraction. Stay in a canvas tent among ponderosa pines at (from $179), outside the town of Keystone.

Stretch Your Legs: Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming

It鈥檚 not far off I-90 to reach , a geologic monolith with deep roots to indigenous cultures in the northern plains and the country鈥檚 first national monument. Parking and trails can be crowded here, so skip the main lot and hike the 1.5-mile instead鈥攊t鈥檚 less busy and still has good views of the tower.

Pitstop: Bozeman, Montana

Post up at the (from $189) in downtown Bozeman, which has on the property. Stroll Main Street, then take a walk up through Burke Park, a few blocks away, for a nice view of town. It鈥檚 about an hour and 20 minutes drive to reach the north entrance to , known for its geysers and 2.2 million acres of wilderness. If you鈥檙e on the road for music, the in nearby Big Sky takes place in early August.

Pitstop: Coeur d鈥橝lene, Idaho

Home to Lake Coeur d鈥橝lene as well as dozens of smaller lakes, you鈥檒l want to stop in Coeur d鈥橝lene, Idaho, for a swim or a paddle. rents kayaks and paddleboards. on the southern end of Lake Pend Oreille has cabins and campsites (from $48), a , and access to 45 miles of trails for biking and hiking.

Must See: The Gorge Amphitheater, Washington听

Music听breaks up the drive, and there鈥檚 no better place to see live music outdoors in this part of the country than the in Quincy, Washington. There鈥檚 on-site camping during shows and an upcoming lineup that includes Billy Strings and Tedeschi Trucks Band.

Stretch Your Legs: Snoqualmie Pass, Washington

Hike to stunning alpine lakes on Snoqualmie Pass, just an hour outside of Seattle on I-90. You鈥檒l need a $5 to access most of the hikes in this area. The 2-mile follows the Snoqualmie River to a 70-foot waterfall. For a more stout climb, the 8.5-mile roundtrip hike to in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness is a real gem.

Final Stop: Seattle, Washington

Celebrate the end of an epic journey by watching the sunset over the Olympic Mountains and dipping your toes into Puget Sound from Seattle鈥檚 . Stay in the heart of downtown at the (from $189) and you can browse fresh produce and maker鈥檚 stalls outside your door. The 10-mile paved sits right along the waterfront. Want more live music to cap off your trip? The is downtown Seattle鈥檚 coolest music venue.

The Best National Parks Road Trip: San Francisco, California, to Washington, D.C.

Route: Interstate 80 and Interstate 70

Distance: 2,915 miles

Travel across the heartland of the U.S. on this iconic route along I-80 and I-70, passing through stunning western mountain ranges like California鈥檚 Sierra Nevada, Nevada鈥檚 Ruby Mountains, Utah鈥檚 Wasatch, and Colorado鈥檚 Rockies. You鈥檒l visit the great national parks across southern Utah听and hit cities like Denver, Colorado; Kansas City and St. Louis, Missouri, and Columbus, Ohio, before landing in the country鈥檚 capital.

Pitstop: Lake Tahoe, California

Depart San Francisco on Interstate 80 heading east, leaving the shores of the Pacific Ocean to begin a steady climb toward the mountains of the Sierra Nevada range.听, in the roadside town of Auburn, has good burgers and homemade pies for the road. Lake Tahoe is your first stop, a short but worthy departure from the highway. Stay at the new听 (from $138), which opens in March, and you鈥檒l be steps from the lake. Rent bikes at听 to pedal the world-class singletrack along the听 or grab a paddleboard from听. Don鈥檛 miss dinner at the newly opened, featuring eclectic dishes and locally-sourced ingredients.

Pitstop: Ruby Mountains, Nevada

听There鈥檚 not much on Interstate 80 as you cross Nevada between Reno and Salt Lake City鈥攅xcept for the Ruby Mountains, which spike straight up from the desert floor of the Great Basin. In the winter,听 offers heli-ski access to 200,000 acres of rugged terrain. In the summer, there鈥檚听. Stay at Ruby Mountain Heli鈥檚听 or one of their two mountainside yurts (from $190).

Must See: Great Basin National Park, Nevada

For a national park detour, consider visiting听, which has one of the darkest skies in the world for stargazing. Near the entrance to the park, the听 make for a great overnight stop and snack resupply station.

Pitstop: Moab, Utah

In Salt Lake City, you鈥檒l say goodbye to Interstate 80 and head south to meet up with Interstate 70, but not before spending time to explore the Mighty Five national parks that made southern Utah famous: Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion. You could spend weeks here鈥攐r just a couple of days. Be sure to book a self-guided or ranger-led hike in the slot canyons of the in Arches National Park and get a permit to hike the exposed rocky cliffside of in Zion National Park. (from $129) makes for a great base camp, or there鈥檚 .

Stretch Your Legs: Glenwood Canyon, Colorado

Get back on I-70 and make your way into Colorado, where scenic Glenwood Canyon makes for a stunning drive along the Colorado River. The paved parallels the highway for over 16 miles, making for an easy biking or running destination. Afterward, stay for a soak in the . A new 16-suite boutique hotel called Hotel 1888 is opening near the hot springs this summer.

Pitstop: Breckenridge, Colorado

Spend the night at (from $320), which opened in early 2025 at the base of Peak 9 at, home to skiing and snowboarding in the winter and biking and hiking come summer. Stroll the charming Main Street of downtown Breck and don鈥檛 miss a visit to the , a 15-foot-tall wooden art installation now located on the town鈥檚 Trollstigen Trail.

Must See: Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

It鈥檚 not exactly on the way, but this adventure clearly detours for national parks, so make the trek north to Rocky Mountain National Park, a quiet, snowy paradise in the winter and a fishing and backpacking mecca in the warmer months. The short hikes to and are popular among families. For experienced mountain travelers, Longs Peak is the park鈥檚 most famous 14er鈥� leads guided treks to the peak. Stay overnight in Denver before you head into the plains: (from $189), the country鈥檚 first carbon positive hotel, opened in Denver鈥檚 Civic Center Park late last year.

Stretch Your Legs: Monument Rocks, Kansas

There鈥檚 a on an 80-foot easel鈥攐ne of three in the world鈥攙isible from the highway in the town of Goodland, Kansas. Then, pull over for 50-foot-high fossil rock outcroppings and limestone spires on the Kansas prairie at , which is on private land 迟丑补迟鈥檚 open to the public south of Oakley, Kansas, right off I-70. 国产吃瓜黑料 of Topeka, you can visit the , a former school site that commemorates the historic end of racial segregation in public schools.

Pitstop: St. Louis, Missouri

Next stop on your national park tour? The of St. Louis. You can ride a tram 630 feet to the top of the arch, walk the palatial grounds beneath the architectural wonder, or admire the arch from a riverboat cruise along the Mississippi River. The (from $149) is housed in a historic shoe company building and has a rooftop pool and restaurant overlooking the city. is a public market with a food hall, retail shops, and live music, and don鈥檛 miss brunch amid a plant nursery at the city鈥檚 .

Pitstop: Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio听

Ohio has but one national park and it鈥檚 worth the detour to visit: has paddling along the Cuyahoga River, 20 miles of multi-use pathways along the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail, and 125 miles of hiking trails through woodlands and wetlands. There鈥檚 no camping within the national park but has tent camping (from $40) nearby or the (from $200) is within the park and on the National Register of Historic Homes.

Final Stop: Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Maryland

End your national parks tour of the U.S. with a visit to the . The C&O Canal follows the Potomac River for 184 miles from Cumberland, Maryland, to Washington, D.C. It makes for a great walk or bike ride. Pitch a tent at one of the free hiker or biker campsites or pull your car up to one of a handful of drive-in sites (from $10). Or you can stay in a (from $175) along the canal.

The History Buff鈥檚 Tour of the U.S.: Los Angeles, California, to Charlottesville, Virginia

Route: Interstate 40

Distance: 2,696 miles

This pilgrimage sticks to one highway only for most of the way: Interstate 40, which starts in the Mojave Desert of California and crosses the southern portion of the U.S., over the Rocky Mountains and through the Great Plains and the Appalachian Mountains. It traverses Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Much of the western route parallels the historic U.S. Route 66, so it feels like a throwback to another era, a perfect journey for those who love learning about our nation鈥檚 past.

Pitstop: Mojave National Preserve, California

听You can watch a drive-in movie, visit a ghost town, or hike through lava tubes in . You can鈥檛 miss a visit to , an hour away, for stellar stargazing, rock climbing, and 300 miles of hiking trails. Stay in an adobe bungalow at the centrally located (from $195), which has an on-site farm, restaurant, and picnic lunches to go.

Stretch Your Legs: Lake Havasu, Arizona

will deliver you a kayak or paddleboard to explore the waters of the , once a major tributary on the lower Colorado River and one of the last ecologically functioning river habitats in the southwest.

Pitstop: Flagstaff, Arizona

Post up at the (from $109) in Flagstaff, Arizona, and then go explore the sights around Flagstaff, including , an hour and a half north. The 3-mile , along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, makes for a mellow stroll. The on Route 66 in Flagstaff used to be a historic taxidermy shop and is now a popular bar for country music and line dancing.

Must See: Meteor Crater National Landmark

Yep, you鈥檙e pulling off the highway to see this: The most preserved meteorite impact site on earth is right off I-40 near Winslow, Arizona. For a $29 admission at the , you can sign up for a guided hike of the crater鈥檚 rim.

Stretch Your Legs: Continental Divide Trail; Grants, New Mexico

听You鈥檙e passing from one side of the Continental Divide to the other: Might as well get out of the car and go for a trail run or hike along the Continental Divide Trail, which crosses Interstate 40 near the town of Grants, New Mexico.

Pitstop: Santa Fe, New Mexico

Take a detour off I-40 in Albuquerque to spend a night or two in Santa Fe, the highest elevation capital city in the U.S., which sits at 7,000 feet in the high desert. Splurge on a night at (from $645), a full-service retreat in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristos. For art and history buffs, the and the are well worth a visit.

Must See: Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Texas

You鈥檝e already seen the actual Grand Canyon, so now it鈥檚 time to see the Grand Canyon of Texas, in , 25 miles outside of Amarillo. The park has camping and cabins, an 800-foot-deep canyon, mountain bike trails, and an outdoor stage where actors perform a Texas musical.

Pitstop: Hot Springs, Arkansas

You鈥檒l come to Hot Springs for the historic bathhouses and modern-day spa resorts. At , you can soak in one of two original bathhouses. Want to learn about some of the country鈥檚 most infamous criminals? , in downtown Hot Springs, has exhibits on Al Capone and Owen Madden. The (from $169) is housed in a centrally located historic building. Don鈥檛 miss: is the only brewery in the world that uses thermal spring water for its beers.

Must See: Crater of Diamonds State Park, Arkansas

If you鈥檙e into geologic history, add a visit to Arkansas鈥� , where you can dig for minerals and gems in a 37-acre field on an eroded volcanic crater. (And yes, notable diamonds have been discovered here.)

Pitstop: Nashville, Tennessee

From the music scene to the foodie paradise, you might never want to leave Nashville. Stay in one of eight suites in a 19th century mansion at (from $306), where wood-fired pizzas are served in the backyard. The currently has exhibits on Luke Combs and Rosanne Cash. Go for a walk or run in or take a guided bike tour of the city鈥檚 murals and street art with .

Pitstop: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee

In Great Smoky Mountains National Park, on the border of North Carolina and Tennessee, you can hike to waterfalls like Mouse Creek Falls or Mingo Falls, fish for brook trout, or bike the 11-mile Cades Cove Loop Road, which is closed to cars on Wednesdays from May through September. The coolest place in the park to sleep? The (from $189), located atop Mount Le Conte and accessible only via foot. Open from March through November, the lodge requires at least a five-mile hike to reach. Bookings for this year are mostly snatched up already, but you can get on the waitlist or plan ahead for next year.

Final Stop: Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina

Your trip finale comes in the form of ditching Interstate 40 in exchange for a meandering drive along the , a 469-mile stretch through the Appalachian Mountains and one of the most scenic roadways in America. You鈥檒l stop to see Whitewater Falls, the east coast鈥檚 tallest waterfall at 411 feet, and the rugged Linville Gorge Wilderness. Stay nearby at (from $175), which opened in the mountain town of Highlands in 2024 with a supper club and Nordic spa. They鈥檒l also book you outdoor excursions, ranging from rock climbing to fly fishing.

Megan Michelson is an 国产吃瓜黑料 contributing editor who loves long drives, even when her two children are whining in the backseat. She has recently written about Airbnb treehouses, the most beautiful long walks in the world, and the 10 vacations that will help you live longer.听

The post Three Epic Cross-Country Road Trips to Start Planning Now appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

You like to travel but you love history. Why not combine the two? We鈥檝e rounded up unique, off-the-radar destinations, both within the U.S. and abroad, that will appeal to history buffs who want to take a more active approach to discovery. Would you ski to a silver mine, or scuba dive to a shipwreck? Or how about walk the length of a half marathon to visit literary sites? From geologic to architectural history, we鈥檝e got some great ideas for getaways that will spark your thirst for knowledge and satiate your adventurous spirit.

If You鈥檙e Eager to Explore Old Shipwrecks

Hamilton, Bermuda

Named after Spanish explorer Juan de Berm煤dez, this archipelago was colonized by pirates and its waters are home to more than 300 shipwrecks. Book an underwater excursion with one of the three outposts of to scuba dive or snorkel among various wreckage sites. The capital city of Hamilton boasts the oldest church in the New World and the oldest parliament in the British Commonwealth. Take a self-guided for a few hours of outdoor exploration, including a quad workout up to the tower of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, which dates back to 1905. Stay at the Hamilton Princess Hotel and Beach Club, a convenient base for all points on the island.

If You鈥檙e into Architecture

Mazatl谩n, Mexico

You should also pack your best road-running shoes for long strolls around this historic city center, famous for Neoclassical and French Baroque architecture, colorful houses, and charming old churches. Catch a play at the newly restored Angela Peralta Theater, which first opened in 1874, and walk through the stunning cathedral of Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. Mazatl谩n鈥檚 12 miles of beaches are also a main attraction, and those in the know climb the series of steep switchbacks (followed by more than 300 paved steps) to the top of Cerro Creston, mostly for the incredible 360-degree views but also to check out El Faro (the lighthouse), built in 1890. To round out your time here, stay at the nine-room , a midcentury property decorated with quirky antiques and designed with a pool overlooking the Pacific.

If You Want to Ski to Silver-Rush Sites

Park City, Utah

At Park City Mountain Resort, you can learn about the mountain town鈥檚 silver-mining past on a to historic mining structures. Post-slopes, hop a free city bus to the Park City Museum, whose exhibits and special lectures bring the stories of early settlers and prospecters to life. Come dusk, takes groups to the streets with animated tales of local murder and intrigue. Listed on the National Historic Register and built just five years after Park City was incorporated in 1884, the is now a lavish 12-room hotel popular with VIPs at the annual Sundance Festival. If 迟丑补迟鈥檚 too pricey, consider downtown鈥檚 Blue Church Lodge, a seven-condo vacation-rental complex in what was Park City鈥檚 first Mormon church, also listed on the National Historic Register.

If You鈥檙e Captivated by the Geologic Complexity of the West

Gateway, Colorado

In the high desert of western Colorado, you can search for preserved dinosaur tracks, take guided hikes through 300-million-year-old red-rock canyons, and enjoy 26 miles of beginner-to-intermediate just outside this small town. Stay in a lodge room or a casita at the , where you can sign up for an excursion to Dolores River Canyon to study Native rock art, sit in on a lecture about how ancient astronomy was used by the Ancestral Puebloans, and spend a few hours climbing or bouldering the granite walls of Unaweep Canyon.

If You鈥檙e Fascinated by the Timeline of Women鈥檚 Rights

Rochester, New York

A little more than 100 years ago, women were given the right to vote across the U.S. Rochester hosted several early women鈥檚 rights conventions and was home to the legendary suffragist Susan B. Anthony. Visit the National Susan B. Anthony Museum and House, where Anthony met with leaders of the civil rights movement and was arrested for voting illegally in 1872, then paddle the Genesee River, ride a bike along the Erie Canal, or enjoy a beer with a view of High Falls at the Genesee Brewhouse, which is also more than 100 years old. From there it鈥檚 just two miles to the Neighborhood of the Arts and the, at the center of stores and eateries.

If You鈥檙e an Oenology Buff Who Likes to Bike

Healdsburg, California

Sure, Northern California鈥檚 oenological history doesn鈥檛 date as far back as some other regions of the world, but its vineyards have a fascinating past nonetheless, one that started with prune farming in the 1920s and ended with winemaking. Stay at the 39-room , named after Healdsburg founder Harmon Heald, an Ohio businessman who left the mining industry for the agricultural bounty of these Sonoma County hills. The hotel has paired up with pro cyclist Peter Stetina to offer , and its sister property, , has a new “Wildflower Walks” package that gets guests outdoors for a scenic trail hike with a local health coach.听If floating is more your thing, book a guided paddle trip of the Russian River via kayak or SUP with (dogs are welcome along). Or spend your idle hours birding within the 155-acre Healdsburg Ridge Open Space Preserve, home to more than 40 species, including turkey vultures, buffleheads, and cedar waxwings.

If You Classic American Literature

Baltimore, Maryland

Many of our country鈥檚 literary greats once called Baltimore home, including F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, Frederick Douglass, and Edgar Allen Poe. Take a to see landmarks around the city referenced in historic books鈥攜ou鈥檒l log a respectable 12.4 miles鈥攐r stop into Edgar Allen Poe鈥檚 house or F. Scott Fitzgerald鈥檚 favorite bar, . Other worthy walkable attractions include the pedestrian-only brick Waterfront Promenade that stretches from Fort McHenry, past the Visionary Arts Museum鈥檚 sculpture garden, and around the Inner Harbor. , in the historic Mount Vernon neighborhood, opened in 2018 in a site that was once a private mansion.

Megan Michelson is an 国产吃瓜黑料 contributing editor and a fan of historical nonfiction, art and science museums, and any spot listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

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Mike Spinnler cries nearly every time he recounts memories as a runner and long-time race director of the , the oldest continuously run ultra in the country.

Such memories include the time he first ran the iconic Maryland race when he was 12 years old, or the year he cheered on his 60-year-old wife as she crossed the finish, or memories of watching his two sons racing. For him, this race is a member of the family.

In 1993, five years after his tenth JFK finish, Spinnler became the race’s second race director, where he鈥檚 been ever since. By then, he鈥檇 set the course record (5:53:05) in 1982, and added another win in 1983, for a total of five top-five and six top-ten finishes.

Thirty years later, it鈥檚 still his pride and joy. He鈥檒l immerse in the magic of the event again on Saturday, November 18, as more than 1,000 runners take the journey through the historic route 迟丑补迟鈥檚 so dear to his heart.

鈥淚t just keeps growing in its prestige,鈥� he says.

A Race and a Pledge

The JFK 50 started in 1963, the same year President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. The president had instituted a public health program to improve the nation鈥檚 fitness, supporting the launch of a series of 50-mile races around the country. But as years went on, the only one that stuck around was the JFK 50.

鈥淜ennedy鈥檚 mission was this: Improve your physical fitness, improve your lifestyle, improve your country,鈥� says Spinnler. 鈥淲e heeded his call and have been doing it for 60-plus years.鈥�

The JFK 50 course is located about an hour northwest of Washington D.C., covering traditional lands of the Indigenous Massawomek and Shawandassee Tule (Shawanaki/Shawnee). One of the race鈥檚 primary appeals is that it鈥檚 a horseshoe-shaped, point-to-point course with three distinct sections: The Appalachian Trail (miles 0-15), the Canal/Tow Path (miles 15-42), and the rolling finish (miles 42-50).

The race starts in Boonsboro, Maryland, follows a few miles of paved roads before connecting with the Appalachian Trail (AT), where the course climbs more than 1,000 vertical feet in five miles, crests to the high point, and follows rocky singletrack before dropping 1,000 vertical feet halfway into the race (mile 14.5), to connect with a flat marathon distance along the C&O Canal Tow Path. The last several miles are rolling country roads, where it finishes at Springfield Middle School in Williamsport.

Ruhling Aims for the Win

In 2019, Seth Ruhling, an unsponsored athlete, showed up to the JFK 50, slept in his car the night before, and won the race in a blistering 5:38:11, his debut 50-miler. Within hours of winning, he sealed a sponsorship with The North Face.

Ruhling, 29, now lives and trains in Boulder, Colorado, and he鈥檒l be returning for his second JFK 50. Since Ruhling鈥檚 2019 win, he has made a name for himself with a sixth place finish at the Pikes Peak Marathon in 2021, second place at Montana鈥檚 Rut 50K, first place at the Broken Arrow Skyrace 46K, and most recently, .

In 2020, JFK 50 was one of the only races in the country that didn鈥檛 shut down with the pandemic. Ruhling had planned on racing, but got injured. 鈥淚 always wanted to go back,鈥� he says.

Ruhling was particularly drawn into this year鈥檚 race because of its deep field of registered elites, which had at one point included 2023 Western States winner Tom Evans, Matt Daniels, Adam Merry, and Sean Van Horn鈥攁ll of whom have since dropped.

His strategy for the mixed course, which requires technical trail chops as well as fast road turnover, is to attack every single section. He says that, while the JFK 50 is known more as a 鈥渢rack race,鈥� it鈥檚 a mistake to discount the early trail miles. 鈥淭he record is going to happen on the towpath, sure, but only if it鈥檚 set up with efficient running on the AT section,鈥� he says.

RELATED: Essential Gear for Your First Ultramarathon

Speaking of records, when asked about his goals for the race, Ruhling did not mince words. 鈥淚 definitely want to win,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to go for the course record. I鈥檓 going to send it.鈥� He also showed deep respect for Hayden Hawks鈥檚 stout course record of 5:18:40, set in 2020. 鈥淩eally, I just want to go run fast and see what I can do.鈥�

The JFK 50 may be a forgiving course, and a great first race to consider for the ultra-curious. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e coming from a road background, JFK 50 is the best intro to trail running and ultra,鈥� Ruhling says. 鈥淭here are people all over the towpath cheering for you. It鈥檚 so fun. Such a good community event.鈥�

‘This Race Is Going to Be a Celebration’

, 27, is a professional athlete for The North Face living in Missoula, Montana, and she too will be gunning for the win at this year鈥檚 JFK 50 Mile.

Lichter is a three-time winner of the Rut 50K, two-time winner of the Lake Sonoma Marathon, the Broken Arrow 50K course record holder, and she recently represented the USA at the World Mountain Running Championships 46K, in Innsbruck, Austria, where she placed fourth, and first American.

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This April, after winning the Lake Sonoma marathon for the second time (second overall), North Face colleagues Zach Miller and Ruhling both encouraged Lichter to sign up for the JFK 50. With a background in collegiate track and cross-country and, more recently, a strong mountain running resume, this varied skill set will suit her well for JFK 50 success.

鈥淚鈥檓 ready for a new challenge,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 love mountainous runs, but I also like grinding out controlled long efforts.鈥� Her normal training incorporates a lot of speed and road running, anyway, so it wasn鈥檛 an entirely new approach for this build. According to Strava, she鈥檚 been putting in heavy miles. 鈥淣ot gonna lie, this has been the best training block in 2023,鈥� she says.

After an injury last winter, she approached this year with intention and strategic rest. For example, after winning the Rut 50K in September, she took a full week off before easing back into training for for JFK 50. This will be Lichter鈥檚 first 50-mile race, and she鈥檚 on the hunt for the win and course record set in 2022 by Sarah Biehl (6:05:42). Biehl broke the ten-year-old course record (6:12:00) set by Ellie Greenwood in 2012.

鈥淭his race is going to be a celebration of everything I鈥檝e been through physically and mentally this year,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檓 just excited to support that race community and tradition. I鈥檓 all about that.鈥�

RELATED: The Best Trail Running Shoes of Winter 2024

Pushing Edges, Changing Lives

鈥淲e love to look back with great pride about this race,鈥� says Spinnler. 鈥淏ut we鈥檙e also constantly looking forward, always wanting to make it better.鈥� He thanks his predecessor, William 鈥淏uzz鈥� Sawyer, the original JFK 50 race director (1963鈥�1992), who really instilled that outlook into the event team.

Spinnler likes to summon JFK for inspiration, too. 鈥淧resident Kennedy would be pleased to know that this race is still going on,鈥� says Spinnler. 鈥淗e was trying to get people to live a life of vigor, to use their bodies. I just want to really revel in the positivity of the event. People come out for the JFK 50 and鈥擨 know this is clich茅, but it鈥檚 true鈥攊t changes their lives.鈥�

Perhaps Spinnler鈥檚 favorite JFK 50 memory of all was when, in 1983, he glimpsed his mother and father at the finish line right before winning the race. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a photo floating around of my mother grabbing my hand to celebrate as I won. I still look at that photo and tear up, and that was 40 years ago,鈥� he says.

鈥淲hen all the runners are there, lined up at the start, at downtown Boonsboro, I鈥檓 telling you, I get goosebumps just thinking about it. What鈥檚 going to unfold? Race day always has this 鈥楥hristmas morning鈥� effect, and Christmas morning never gets old.鈥�

The post America鈥檚 Oldest Continuously-Held Ultramarathon Is Only Looking Forward appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

The beach was disorienting. There was just so much of it, spreading north and south as far as I could see: only sand, dunes, and ocean. No high-rise condos. No putt-putt courses. No boardwalk crammed with souvenir shops. It was just raw.

It was my first time in North Carolina’s Cape Hatteras National Seashore, and I was in awe over the wild nature of the land and seascape鈥攖he exact emotion that our national park system is supposed to induce.

The park system protects many pristine beaches, long stretches of sand or secluded rocky coves just as awesome as a 14,000-foot mountain peak or 5,000-foot-deep canyon. And it鈥檚 summer, the perfect time to go to the beach. There鈥檚 no better place to do that than in a wild national park. Here are my top ten to visit.

1. Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Wisconsin

The sea caves of are truly stunning. Dozens of them, where Lake Superior has eaten holes in the orange and red sandstone cliffs, are scattered along the mainland of Wisconsin and the 21 islands that comprise this national lakeshore. But don鈥檛 ignore the beaches between these cliffs, which are just as spectacular. The great Meyers Beach, which is on the mainland strip of this park unit and accessible by car, is the easiest choice. But if you truly want wild sand, strike out for one of the isles that sit deeper in Lake Superior.

Several of those islands have beaches you can only reach by boat, and most are beautiful. But Lake Superior鈥檚 water temperature is notoriously cold, so my advice is to head to Julian Bay, on Stockton Island, where on sunny days a protected, shallow bay offers water temps in the 70s. The 1.5-mile-long beach wraps around the bay, giving you plenty of opportunity to find your own patch of sand with views that stretch across Lake Superior. Better yet, especially for kids, the sand 鈥渟ings鈥� when you brush it with your hand, because of the shape of the grains. It actually sounds like a seal barking.

Though you can kayak to some of the islands in this park, Stockton is 14 miles from the mainland, so consider taking a water taxi or hopping on the from Bayfield, Wisconsin ($52). The boat will dock at Presque Isle Bay. Walk the .4-mile Julian Bay Trail to Julian Bay Beach and relax. You can bring camping gear, but the ferry runs morning and afternoon service so you could just spend the day.

Logistics: There鈥檚 no entrance fee to the park. Getting around requires aquatic transportation, though.

Stay the night: Stockton has a waterfront campground with 21 sites tucked into the pines of Presque Isle Bay. ($15 a night.) Make reservations at .

2. Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia

There鈥檚 a lot of human history to be discovered on , a 36,415-acre barrier island near the Georgia-Florida border that has been both the home of a freed-slave settlement and the resort mansions of the Carnegie family. Those slaves earned their freedom by fighting for the British in the War of 1812. Meanwhile, descendants of the Carnegies still retain rights to live on the island.

The natural beauty is a mix of marsh channels, live oak forest, and wide-open beaches. There are castle-like ruins to explore and听 also plenty of wildlife to keep an eye out for鈥攁lligators dominate the interior marshes, and a herd of feral horses, descendants of a pack left behind in the late 1800s, roam the island. Almost 10,000 acres of Cumberland is federally designated wilderness. The beach is extensive, running for 17 miles along the eastern edge of the island.

Crowds are scarce because the ferry from St. Marys can only bring a maximum of 300 people over on any given day, so it鈥檚 easy to find a slice of sand to yourself if you鈥檙e willing to hike. The majority of day trippers stick to Sea Camp Beach, on the southern end of the island, less than half a mile from the ferry drop. You can rent a bike ($16 a day) and ride Grand Avenue north, or hike along the beach until you find a spot with the right amount of solitude. The waves are generally too little to surf, but perfect for swimming, reading trashy novels, and taking naps.

Logistics: Catch a from St. Marys ($40 per person). Entrance fee is $15 per person.

Stay the Night: Cumberland Island has . Sea Camp is the most developed and easiest to reach, just a half mile from the ferry dock. It has 18 sites situated in a live oak forest with plenty of shade a quarter mile from Sea Camp Beach ($22 a night). Stafford Beach is your other developed option, with 10 sites and cold showers (which is fine鈥攊t’s hot here, so you wouldn’t want a warm shower), flush toilets, and potable water. It鈥檚 a 3.5-mile hike from the ferry dock, but puts you in the middle of the island with fewer crowds and quick access to the north side of Cumberland. ($12 a night.)

3. Olympic National Park, Washington

Olympic National Park encompasses some of the most diverse terrain of any park in the country. Protecting nearly a million acres, the terrain varies from glaciated peaks to rocky beaches. There are 73 miles of coastline within the park鈥檚 boundaries, including the popular and picture-perfect Rialto and Kalaloch beaches.

But if you want a wilder experience, hike beyond these vehicle-accessed destinations and deeper into the Olympic National Park鈥檚 Wilderness Coast. Just be prepared for an arduous hike: a mix of forested paths, boulder hopping, and steep, rope-assisted trails that climb and descend tall headlands. You also have to pay attention to the tides; high tides can close out the beach.

Ozette Ranger Station, in the middle of the Wilderness Coast, is the perfect starting point. From there, you can do short, three-mile boardwalk hikes to Cape Alava or Sand Point, or begin multi-day treks 20 miles south to Rialto Beach or . If you head north,听 you鈥檒l be inundated with tidepools full of starfish, tall cliffs with sweeping views, and more sea stacks rising from the surf than you can count.

Shi Shi itself offers two miles of hard-packed sand bookended by tall cliffs and sea stacks. It鈥檚 a popular spot, so don鈥檛 expect to have it to yourself, but you won鈥檛 find a better sunset on the West Coast. The waves are good too, and people surf here, but that means lugging your board on the hike.

Logistics: There鈥檚 a $30 entrance fee to enter Olympic. If you plan to hike the Wilderness Coast, you can arrange for a shuttle with .

Stay the Night: Get a wilderness ($8 per person per night) and you can camp in one of the traditional forested campsites adjacent to the beach or pitch a tent on the sand itself. You can build a fire on the beach below the high-tide line, but may only gather driftwood, not wood from the forest. Shi Shi Beach, 15 miles from the Ozette Ranger Station, is a popular destination for backpackers.

4. Virgin Islands National Park, Virgin Islands

The U.S. Virgin Islands are a collection of three tropical keys in the Caribbean that range from the touristy (St. Thomas) to the culturally significant (St. Croix). Virgin Islands National Park protects more than 7,000 acres of the decidedly more rustic St. Johns, comprising roughly half of the island鈥檚 total footprint and offering a mix of lush, forested hiking trails and picture-perfect beaches.

Trunk Bay is the most famous, largely because of its natural beauty; the white sand forms a horseshoe around light blue water, islands rise from the sea just off the beach, and mountains frame the horizon. Yes, it鈥檚 crowded, but it鈥檚 worth it. The Underwater Snorkel Trail is also a great way to get acquainted with the unofficial sport of the Virgin Islands鈥攕taring at fish through goggles.

But don鈥檛 spend all your time at Trunk Bay. Hit a few of the park鈥檚 beaches to get a taste of the variety of terrain. Brown Bay has a small spit of flat sand 迟丑补迟鈥檚 only accessible by boat or trail, offering more solitude than Trunk Bay. Maho Bay is known for an abundance of sea turtles thanks to its healthy seagrass beds, and Honeymoon Bay has two beaches split by a rocky point where several species of coral offer habitat for colonies of colorful fish. I recommend visiting as many beaches as you can while you鈥檙e on the island, and bring goggles and a snorkel. The park protects roughly 5,000 acres of coral reefs and seagrass beds beneath the surface of the clear water.

Logistics: There鈥檚 no entrance fee to the park, but Trunk Bay charges a $5 amenity fee.

Stay the Night: The privately run operates within the national-park boundaries, complete with its own beach. You can bring your own tent, but we say opt for one of the campground鈥檚 eco-tents, which have queen beds, fans, and shaded decks. (Two-night minimum; $165 per night.)

5. Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland

is a 32-mile-long barrier island that splits its zip codes between Maryland and Virginia, though most of the national seashore is located in Maryland. It is a wild expanse of land known for its maritime forests, salt marshes, and mellow interior bays.

The Atlantic side of the island is dominated by a primitive beach that stretches for miles between choppy surf and tall dunes. Oh, and Assateague also has a population of magnificent wild ponies. Legend has it that the equine are descendants of ponies that swam to shore from a sunken Spanish ship in the 1500s.

The national seashore is just a couple hundred miles from Washington, D.C., so it can be crowded, but the beach is gorgeous, and there鈥檚 a good chance you鈥檒l build a sand castle a couple hundred yards from a pony.

Take a break from the beach and paddle the Sinepuxent Bay, a shallow sound on the inland side of the island, where you鈥檒l have a good chance of seeing the wild ponies as they graze on the tall grass that borders the water. has boat rentals and tours (rentals start at $20, tours start at $50). is a thing on the island. In Maryland, crabbing season runs from April 1 to December 31. Only keep crabs you鈥檙e planning to eat, and only if they鈥檙e at least five inches across.

Logistics: Entrance fee is $25. Get a to explore the Over Sand Vehicle (OSV) zone ($110, valid for one year), which is 11 miles long and offers your best chance of avoiding the crowds.

Stay the night: The many camping options here range from the developed campground of 鈥攁n 800-acre state park on the same island as the national seashore with 350 campsites ($27.50 a night)鈥攖o the primitive beach camping within the Bullpen area of the OSV zone ($200 for a year). Note that you must camp in a hard-sided vehicle with an approved waste-management system. Campfires are allowed on the beach below the high-tide line.

6. Redwood National Park, California

Redwood National Park is best known for protecting some of the world鈥檚 largest trees, which can rise to more than 350 feet tall. The park also encompasses 40 miles of northern California鈥檚 coast, where sandy beaches hide beneath bluffs holding old-growth spruce forest.

Gold Bluffs Beach makes for a good introduction to the coast, with miles of gray sand flanked by orange-colored cliffs. It鈥檚 a popular beach with easy road access, so you鈥檒l need to apply for a if you鈥檙e visiting between May 15 and Sept. 15, and pay a $12 day-use fee.

Gold Bluffs isn鈥檛 your only destination in Redwood National Park. The California Coastal Trail stretches for 70 miles through the national park and adjacent public lands, connecting a number of less crowded beaches. You can visit a few gems by hiking an portion of the CCT from False Klamath Cove south to the Klamath River. The trail mostly traverses the wooded hillside above the ocean, but short side spurs lead to secluded beaches without any road access.

One of the best is Hidden Beach, where a gray-sand cove is flanked by grass-covered hills, and massive rocks jut out of the Pacific surf. A pile of driftwood has collected at the high-water mark of the beach, and small boulders are sunk into the sand. The whole scene has a misty, moody vibe that feels more Pacific Northwest than California.

Logistics: No entrance fee required, but the parking lot at Gold Bluffs has a $12 day use fee.

Stay the Night: Grab a site at which sits within Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, and has 26 sites you can reserve up to six months in advance ($35 a night) with quick access to the beach below and the California Coastal Trail.

7. Cape Cod National Seashore, Massachusetts

protects 40 miles of the coast where Massachusetts meets the Atlantic, defining the edge of New England, and is so beautiful that in the 1800s Henry David Thoreau wrote about this place: 鈥淎 man may stand there and put all America behind him.鈥� The seashore has no shortage of beaches, but Race Point, in Provincetown, offers an idyllic slice of the region.

This expanse isn鈥檛 rugged and dramatic like some of the West Coast鈥檚 beaches. Instead of tall cliffs and jagged sea stacks, you have soft sand and rolling sand dunes speckled with wispy grass. The beach itself is mellow, conducive to relaxation and the occasional nap. The sand next to the parking lot ($25 fee) in Provincetown can get crowded, but Race Point stretches for several miles around the tip of the Cape, so if you have the legs for it, keep walking until you find a quiet spot.

The thick grassland that separates the beach from the road and parking facilities gives you a more rustic vibe than a lot of more overdeveloped East Coast beaches. Spring is whale-migration season, so bring some binoculars and look for right and humpback whales cruising the channels off the coast.

Logistics: $25 entrance fee.

Stay the Night: There鈥檚 no camping within Cape Cod National Seashore, but the park has a that put you close to the park鈥檚 beaches (from $170 a night).

8. Gulf Islands National Seashore, Florida and Mississippi

The beaches along the Gulf of Mexico are known for their sugar-white sand, like those found on , which protects pieces of the coast of Mississippi and Florida and islands within the Gulf. The national seashore hosts a mix of historic military forts, coastal forest, and pristine beaches.

The best sand of the lot is on Horn Island, an 8-mile-long, 1-mile-wide barrier island off the coast of Mississippi, protected as a federally-designated wilderness, and only accessible by boat. Horn is located seven miles off the coast of Mississippi, sitting in the Mississippi Sound of the Gulf of Mexico. No commercial ferries service the island, so you鈥檒l need your own boat (or to hire a private charter) to reach it.

A sandy path connects the two sides of the island. The beach on the south side, facing the Gulf, features soft sand flanked by small, grassy dunes. The interior of the island has warm lagoons and tall pine trees with tufts of green nettles at their tips, looking like giant bonsai trees. You鈥檒l find the occasional alligator on Horn, as well as nesting ospreys. Anglers wade into the shallow waters of the Gulf and cast for speckled trout and redfish, but mostly, you just soak in the deserted-island vibes.

Logistics: There鈥檚 no entrance fee to visit Horn Island, and you don鈥檛 need reservations to camp. But you do need a boat. There鈥檚 no regular ferry service to Horn, but you can find .

Stay the night: You鈥檙e allowed to on the beach here, as long as you stay off the dunes and any vegetation. There are no facilities and no drinking water, so bring everything you need on the boat. You can have a campfire below the high-tide line. No permits or reservations needed, but there is a 14-day maximum stay.

9. Channel Islands National Park, California

If you ever wondered what California was like before all the people showed up, take a 20-mile boat ride out to Channel Islands National Park, a five-island archipelago with craggy coastlines, rugged mountains, and remote coves where you鈥檒l find more sea lions and seals than suntanned bodies. Santa Cruz Island is the largest within the national park, with a total of 77 miles of shoreline, and has regular ferry service. It also has the best beaches.

Start by exploring and snorkeling in Scorpion Beach, a rocky patch of land between two cliffs with clear water and underwater kelp forests. If you want a more adventurous beach, hike four miles across the island from Scorpion Beach to Smuggler鈥檚 Cove Beach, a mix of dark sand and rock tucked into a protected cove surrounded by steep headlands. You might see some sailboats anchored off the beach, but probably won鈥檛 have to share the sand with anyone.

Regardless of the beach you choose, keep an eye out for gray, blue, and humpback whales frolicking in the water near the islands in the summer and fall. You can also sign up for a to explore the sea caves that punctuate the rocky coast ($186 per person).

Logistics: Entrance to the park is free. If you don鈥檛 have a boat, from Ventura, California. It鈥檚 a 20-mile cruise to Santa Cruz. (From $31)

Stay the Night: Santa Cruz has one developed campground, , with 31 sites and fresh water. It鈥檚 just a half-mile walk from the boat landing. You can make reservations six months in advance. ($15 per night.)

10. Cape Hatteras National Seashore, North Carolina

stretches for 70 miles, protecting a string of barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina. The park is a mix of dune-flanked beaches, meandering channels, historic lighthouses, and small, thriving towns. This is the wild Outer Banks that has attracted visitors from the pirate Blackbeard, looking to lay low from the law in the 1700s, to surfers today seeking consistent East Coast barrels.

A single highway connects most of the Outer Banks with a series of bridges, with quality beaches along the entire length of this park. But Ocracoke Beach, on Ocracoke Island, is your destination, because it鈥檚 largely undeveloped, and it鈥檚 less crowded than most other beaches in the area; the island is isolated on the southern end of the national seashore. To reach it, you need your own boat or to catch a ferry ride from the mainland.

Development is centered around the harbor on the southern end of the island, complete with a lighthouse, while the rest of the spit is left mostly untouched. Ocracoke Beach is 16 miles of sand, tall dunes, and relentless surf. Bring a board, or ($25 a day), some fishing gear, and a 4WD vehicle; sections of the beach are open to offroad vehicles with a permit.

Logistics: There鈥檚 no entrance fee to the park, but you need to catch a from either Cedar Island or Hatteras Island to reach Ocracoke ($15 one way). You can get an to drive on sections of Ocracoke Beach ($50 for a 10-day permit).

Stay the Night: Ocracoke Island has a (136 sites) with gravel tent pads situated just behind the dunes, so you can hear the waves crash as you drift to sleep in your tent. ($28 per night.)

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national-parks columnist. He is constantly having an internal debate about whether it鈥檚 better to live at the beach or in the mountains. Right now, because it鈥檚 summer, the beach is winning.

The post The 10 Most Beautiful Beaches in U.S. National Parks appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Summer is on. And this is the summer to beat all summers, as millions of American travelers attested over Memorial Day weekend, taking to the roads and skies to kick off the season in record numbers. 国产吃瓜黑料 staffers have plenty of their own exciting getaways planned, including hiking from mountain town to mountain town in Colorado, pedaling and cork-popping in Provence, road-tripping to visit wolves and see iconic high-desert scenery in the American Southwest, and more. You, too, can go听big.

Reveling in Rocky Mountain Highs and Pies

I take full advantage of my birthday each year by forcing my friends鈥攁 group not quite as adventurous as听me鈥攖o come along for activities they鈥檇 usually roll their eyes at. This year we鈥檙e hiking in Colorado from Aspen to Crested Butte, an 11-mile day trip over 12,500-foot , with some 3,000 feet of elevation gain. (My friends must truly love me.) We鈥檝e tapped one friend,听who I couldn鈥檛 convince to trek with us, to drop the rest of us off and pick us up,听though that service is also offered locally听by Dolly鈥檚 Mountain Shuttle and Alpine Express. While I鈥檓 most looking forward to gorgeous lakes, vibrant wildflowers, and expansive views of the Elk Range, my pals are excited to spend a night in the towns on each end. We鈥檒l be fueling up on caffeine and pastries at Local Coffee House in Aspen on the front end and celebrating our accomplishment with pizza and beer at Secret Stash,听my favorite spot in Crested Butte. The decor feels like an Indian restaurant and a Red Robin collided, with a distinctly ski-town vibe, and the weird and wonderful pizzas are to die for. 鈥擬ikaela Ruland, associate content director at National Park Trips

Recreating on the Jersey Shore

I’ll always be a defender of the Jersey Shore, particularly Stone Harbor, located on Seven Mile Island. This East Coast beach town is home to tons of wildlife, soft sand, and the best seafood. It’s the perfect spot for large families to gather. I’m looking forward to my seaside runs and bike rides along the path that extends the entirety of the island. It鈥檚 also fun to kayak the marsh along the bay side or head just over Gull Island Thorofare Bridge to check out the Wetlands Institute. When you鈥檙e looking for a respite from the bustle, stroll down Second Avenue听to the Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary. I鈥檝e never considered myself much of a birder, yet I always love walking the sanctuary鈥檚听trails. A mile north is Springer鈥檚, which makes the best homemade ice cream in the world. On summer nights, the line for a cone can wrap around the block. Other can鈥檛-miss establishments include Quahog鈥檚 Seafood Shack and Bar for dinner, and Coffee Talk for your morning caffeine fix (it鈥檚 the famed establishment where Taylor Swift once performed acoustic shows). 鈥擡llen O鈥橞rien, digital editor

Wheeling About Provence

At some point in planning this summer鈥檚 adventure, I recalled a favorite saying from Oscar Wilde: 鈥淚t is what you read when you don鈥檛 have to that determines what you will be when you can鈥檛 help it.鈥� How true. Every morning I open to peruse the latest highlights from the European cycling scene, and most evenings I consult The New York Times鈥� cooking section for an interesting recipe. Blend those reading habits, add a dash of Francophilia, and鈥攙oil脿鈥擨 find myself heading to Provence. For cool temperatures, zero crowds, and the glorious light of autumn in the Luberon Valley, my wife and I will spend a week exploring back roads and high peaks by bike in the department of Vaucluse. Each morning we鈥檒l stock up at a local patisserie before rolling out of the tiny medieval town of Venasque, whose untouched Gallo-Roman architecture and clifftop views earned it the designation of one of the 126 most beautiful villages in France. We鈥檒l pedal until hunger or a vineyard beckon, with an ascent of Mont Ventoux (an iconic Tour de France climb) as the week鈥檚 big goal. Come evening we鈥檒l meander alongwinding country roads in search of a quiet bistro, perhaps in another village, like Carpentras or听Roussillon, for a Proven莽al feast of bouillabaisse or black truffle omelet, paired with a bottle of the ros茅 for which this region is famous. For dessert we鈥檒l hope for a slice of clafoutis, a traditional flan-like tart loaded with plump apricots or black cherries sourced from a nearby orchard. All of which merits another maxim, this one from听the听legendary 19th-century gourmand Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin. 鈥淒is-moi ce que tu manges, je te dirai ce que tu es,鈥� he said, which translates to 鈥淭ell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.鈥� Would it come as any surprise that Brillat-Savarin was French, born just a few hours up the Rh么ne River from Venasque? 鈥擩onathan Dorn, senior vice president of strategy and studios

Rafting Down the Rogue

Every summer my family and I go on vacation where I grew up, on the southern coast of Oregon. Gold Beach, a town of some 2,000 people, is nestled between timber-covered mountains and the mighty Pacific, with the mouth of the Rogue River serving as its northern edge. As an outdoorsman, I鈥檝e always loved going back, but I appreciate it more and more each time I return. There are three amazing ways to experience the Rogue. One is rafting the 32.4-mile Wild Rogue section of Class III鈥揑V rapids, a trip that can be tackled in three or four days; it requires a hard-to-get permit or a guide setup, but you鈥檒l never forget floating through this remote section of canyon. The second way to see it is with , a jet-boat operator whose charming staff grew up in the area and are super knowledgeable about the flora and fauna you鈥檙e likely to see, including river otters, black bears, bald eagles, and ospreys. If you have the time, take the company’s Wilderness Whitewater Tour, which stops at Cougar Lane Lodge, famous for its BBQ. The third option, if the bite is on, is to go Chinook salmon fishing in the mouth of the river, preferably with local legend and guide Helen Burns. If you鈥檙e staying in town and want to be close to the beach and amenities, book the Beach Pea Suite at the new 鈥攊t has a glorious soaking tub. Good eats are plentiful in the area, and some of my favorite places are the Barnacle Bistro, Tu Tu Tun Lodge, and the award-winning Redfish Restaurant in Port Orford. For beer, you can’t go wrong with anything from Arch Rock Brewing Company, but the Pistol River Pale is outstanding. You also shouldn鈥檛 miss the short hike down Cape Sebastian: It starts from an overlook about 800 feet above the ocean, giving you views for miles in any direction; from there you鈥檒l descend just shy of two miles through Sitka spruce, salmonberry bushes, and ferns to the beach, where waves break powerfully against sandstone cliffs, even during the summer. Check out the tide pools before the climb back out. And finally, if you have kids, don鈥檛 miss Prehistoric Gardens in Port Orford, where 23 life-size dinosaur replicas are hidden in the old-growth forest. The quiet and solitude of this moss-covered grove is spectacular. 鈥擶ill Taylor, group gear director

Roaming Around Historic Annapolis

Annapolis, Maryland, on the Chesapeake Bay, is where I come from and where I return every year. For one thing, they have flowers鈥攂ursting tulip magnolias in rows, and lilacs鈥攊n spring when scraps of snow still cover my hillside in Colorado, and now the hydrangeas, snapdragons, magnolias, and peonies should be out, with the locust blooms just finishing. In my friend Molly鈥檚 family, the locust blooms are a sign that soft crabs are running. The best time to go is summer, because there are so many things to do. We kids grew up swimming, sailing, windsurfing, and water-skiing. We went crabbing in dinghies with trotlines or by roaming around docks and pilings with crab nets in hand. The historic town (Annapolis was the nation鈥檚 capital from 1783 to 1784) is built around two brick-paved circles; the State House, where the Maryland legislature meets, and St. Anne鈥檚 Church are set in, respectively, State Circle and Church Circle, to symbolize separation of church and state. Near both is the harbor, where the oyster boats used to dock, and the Market House, housing many concessions, where my siblings and I worked. (I scooped ice cream, gaining a mean right arm.) You can buy crab cakes, oysters, soups, cheese, and fruit there, and walk across the street to a statue of Alex Haley, the author of Roots, reading a book to children; it commemorates the shameful fact that his forebear Kunte Kinte was sold here at the City Dock. You might also visit St. John鈥檚 College (established in 1696) and the adjacent Naval Academy. Don鈥檛 miss the clam chowder at Middleton鈥檚 Caf茅 (which dates back to 1750) or the fun scene at McGarvey鈥檚, a tavern where my grown sons now go get beers. On a beautiful day, hike (it is intermittently closed, but you can still walk around the area), looking out at the Chesapeake and the four-mile Bay Bridge, or take the loop trail in Quiet Waters Park on the South River. 鈥擜lison Osius, senior editor

Off-Roading in Iceland

My husband and I are beyond stoked: we鈥檙e headed to Ireland and Iceland for a two-week adventure. He hasn鈥檛 been to Ireland, but I lived there as a kid, so I鈥檝e got that country dialed. It鈥檒l be a whirlwind coastal tour, with a climb up Croagh Patrick, near my old cottage on the west coast. Iceland, however, remains untapped for us both. We love a thermal-springs soak after hard hikes and trail runs, and prefer to dodge crowds and drive less, so this smallish outdoor mecca was a no-brainer addition. We鈥檒l play it fast and loose, but here鈥檚 how I think our trip will go down: After we fly into Reykjav铆k, the capital, we鈥檒l pick up our rented Dacia Duster 4X4 camper van with a rooftop tent ($900 for five days, it鈥檚 tricked out with sleeping and cooking essentials and a hot spot for GPS; for more information, visit ). We鈥檒l hit the B贸nus grocery store鈥攊t鈥檚 the cheapest option on the pricey island, according to a seasoned buddy鈥攖o stock up on supplies, and then we鈥檒l head northeast on the Ring Road, a.k.a. Route 1, to the fjords, vales, and 4,000-foot summits of the Tr枚llaskagi Peninsula. Along the way, we鈥檒l take offshoot F-roads (F for 蹿箩盲濒濒, which means 鈥渕ountain鈥� in Icelandic), summer-only gravel tracks restricted to four-wheel-drive vehicles. By crisscrossing over central peaks, we鈥檒l access remote terrain rich with waterfalls, lava fields, alpine valleys, and camping spots that most of Iceland鈥檚 seven million annual tourists don鈥檛 explore. We鈥檒l circle back south to scrub away our dirt and sweat at the geothermal Blue Lagoon ($64 for day tickets) before听departing. All told, it鈥檒l be an unscripted, abbreviated blast, and I consider this a reconnaissance mission for next time. 鈥擯atty Hodapp, interim digital director

Road-Tripping Through the Native Southwest

This summer I’m focusing on road trips, and luckily I live in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a good place to launch from. I’ve been so dismayed by recent delays and cancellations from plane travel that I don’t feel like spending any more time than I have to in airports. Which is fine, because I’ve had a Southwest bucket list that I’m excited to finally make a dent in. Near the top of my list is a guided tour of the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary in western New Mexico, near El Morro National Monument. The sanctuary takes in both wild and domesticated wolves and protects them for the rest of their lives. Rumor has it that author George R.R. Martin, also a Santa Fe resident, has supported the sanctuary, and some of the wolves are named after his Game of Thrones characters. From there I plan to head west to visit some important Native sites. I want to go to Canyon de Chelly, in northeastern Arizona, and take a Navajo-led horseback tour. Canyon de Chelly, often called a mini Grand Canyon, is part of the Navajo Nation. Evidence of human occupation there dates back 4,000 years. It’s also the tragic spot where Kit Carson forced out the Navajo in 1863. Then I’m going to head to Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, on the Utah border. Also a part of the Navajo Nation, this stunning landscape and its spectacular sandstone buttes show up on my Instagram feed听every so often, and I want to learn about the history on a Navajo-guided tour and experience the awe and grandeur. 鈥擬ary Turner, deputy editor and travel director

The post Our Picks for the Best 国产吃瓜黑料 Destinations This Summer appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Add Maryland to the growing list of states with an office of outdoor recreation.

Last Friday, the state鈥檚 Republican governor, Larry Hogan, announced the creation of the office within the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR). He also announced that J. Daryl Anthony will serve as its first executive director.

That makes 18 states with an office of outdoor recreation (OREC) following such recent additions as Nevada, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Michigan, Virginia, and New Hampshire鈥攁ll of which launched in 2019. Maryland did have an outdoor recreation task force before establishing an OREC office.

鈥淥ne of our state鈥檚 hallmarks is the stewardship of our lands and waters by the Marylanders who love them,鈥� Hogan said. 鈥淥ur sportsmen and women were among the first conservationists to support efforts to protect fish, wildlife, and their habitat. Today we are honoring this partnership for the outdoors while assuring that it continues to grow with the establishment of Maryland鈥檚 first Office of Outdoor Recreation.鈥�

The state said Anthony will work with DNR, the Maryland Department of Commerce, and other agencies and stakeholders to 鈥渟upport and enhance outdoor recreation opportunities and the economic benefits they produce.鈥� This includes implementation of the recommendations of the Maryland Outdoor Recreation Economic Commission (MOREC), which Hogan established by executive order in 2017.

Anthony has 35 years鈥� experience with DNR, most recently as assistant secretary for land resources. He joined DNR in 1983 as a park ranger at Patapsco Valley State Park in Howard County. Anthony also served as regional manager for the Maryland Park Service鈥檚 southern, central, and western regions until his assistant secretary appointment in 2015.

鈥淚 am honored and pleased to help lead the effort to enhance outdoor recreation in Maryland,鈥� said Anthony. 鈥淲ith the leadership of Gov. Hogan, Lt. Gov. Rutherford, Secretary Riccio, and Secretary Schulz, I believe this is an exciting time to build and grow upon Maryland鈥檚 world-class outdoor recreation capabilities.鈥�

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Long before I found my place in the West, I grew up in , a town so perfectly boring and flat that a highway overpass near Bubba鈥檚 Breakaway offered the airiest views around. (Bubba鈥檚, now sadly gone, served excellent tacos.) Salisbury had maybe 17,000 people when I lived there in the 1980s; it sat at the junction of U.S. Route 13 and U.S. Route 50, about two and a half hours southeast of Washington, D.C., on Maryland鈥檚 Eastern Shore.

Salisbury was and still is a largely rural place, ringed by fields and poultry farms that feed a processing plant run by the town’s most famous celebrity: the late , the 鈥渢ough man, tender chicken鈥� king. His downtown operation, a hulking leaden-blue building with giant fans, could be so exquisitely stinky that we kids would hold our breath and pray that the stoplight stayed green whenever we had to pass it.

To us, being at the junction of these highways made Salisbury something like the fluttering heart of Delmarva, the tri-state peninsula where 鈥渟lower, lower鈥� southern Delaware and the eastern portions of Maryland and Virginia bunch together in a critter-shaped landmass that divides the Chesapeake Bay from the Atlantic Ocean and its barrier islands, with the skinny Virginia part forming the tail. To most outsiders, Delmarva was little more than a place you suffered through on your way to the beach in Ocean City, dismissed by most as a 170-by-70-mile swamp of speed traps and Shore Stops听and very old hamlets with names like Wetipquin, Pocomoke, and Onancock.

Compared with those settlements, Salisbury was cosmopolitan. We had a hospital, a small college, and a mall with an Orange Julius鈥攍ater there was a second, newer mall that even had a Chick-fil-A鈥攂ut outside of roller skating at Skateland or pounding ill-gotten Boone鈥檚 Farm in the woods off Fooks Road, there wasn鈥檛 much for guys like me to see or do. We joked that a sign at the western city limits should read, 鈥淲elcome to Salisbury! Only 30 minutes from the beach!鈥�

For most of the 20 years I lived on Delmarva鈥攆irst in the Del, then the Va, and lastly the Mar鈥攎y life revolved around those highways. On 13, as we鈥檇 say in the accent that Delmarvans often pick up, we would drive 鈥渄own the rewd鈥� to Cape Charles, Virginia, which was too small to offer any fast food at all. Or we鈥檇 go 鈥渦p the rewd鈥� to Laurel, Delaware, home to the听huge, tax-free Bargain Bill flea market, where people sold awesome pizza and muscle shirts. On 50, you could go 鈥渁cross the bay鈥� to Baltimore to watch Eddie Murray and the Orioles, or east to the beach, which could easily become 鈥渄own to the beach鈥� once you were actually there. As in: 鈥淗e ain鈥檛 home t鈥檇ay. He鈥檚 down to the beach.鈥�

Christine Mallinson, a linguist at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County who studies the way Marylanders speak, says the origins of these sounds and phrases have to do with Delmarva鈥檚 English settlers, its historic isolation and identity, and the fact that Maryland sits just south of the , which led to a blend of both northern and southern dialects. This is not the white, working-class Baltimore accent sometimes called Bawlmerese. Never, ever鈥攁nd I mean ever鈥攚ould a beach-bound Delmarvan say, 鈥淟et鈥檚 go downy ocean,鈥� as a 鈥淏altimoron鈥� famously would.

Delmarva is a presidential retreat now, what with Joe Biden having long owned a summer home there: a six-bed, 5.5-bath Cape Cod with a two-story deck and an elevator. This breezy retreat sits outside , Delaware, a small resort town just 25 miles from where I was born. In Rehoboth, an upscale place 迟丑补迟鈥檚 popular with the region鈥檚 gay community, the president can ride his bike along near Cape Henlopen State Park, or he can walk the boardwalk to buy taffy鈥攐r perhaps a tiny hermit crab skittering around inside a little wire cage.

Does Biden鈥檚 presence mean Delmarva is about to get a huge boost in cachet, like Kennebunkport, Maine? I don鈥檛 think so. For one thing, despite the generally warm welcome Biden receives in Rehoboth鈥攁 blue spot in a very red part of the East Coast鈥攏o one will mistake him for a true Delmarvan. He鈥檚 spent too many years wheeling and dealing in Washington, or in Wilmington, Delaware, which is north of the Chesapeake & Delaware听Canal, the de facto northern boundary between Delmarva and the Rest of the Planet. Can he explain what you do with 鈥渢he specials鈥� when picking a crab? (You eat them.) Does he know the plural of bunk, a word we use for friend? (It鈥檚 bunkies.) Has he ever tasted Delmarva鈥檚 most lovingly stewed spirit animal, the ? (No. But, well鈥� neither have I.)

Even so, I鈥檇 also bet that 46 knows, as all Delmarvans of a certain age do, how to recite the Bargain Bill flea-market slogan from local TV ads in the 1980s. In fact, I demand that someone in the White House press corps test him on this.

Fox News correspondent: 鈥淢r. President, where would you go if it鈥檚 bargains you be seekin鈥�?鈥�

Biden: 鈥淚鈥檇 visit my daddy鈥檚 flea market, this weeken鈥�.鈥�

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Blessed with rich soil, abundant rain, and a long growing season, the Delmarva peninsula鈥攁 tri-state area sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay鈥攚as known as the breadbasket of the American Revolution. Later it rapidly grew into one of the wealthiest agricultural areas in the country, as farmers and watermen discovered that they could not ship their goods fast enough to cities like Baltimore, Washington, Philadelphia, and New York. Modern refrigeration and transportation have greatly extended that range, and you can now get fresh Chesapeake Bay soft-shell crabs in Nevada if you want. Here are a few favorite dishes from longtime Delmarva families.

Mom-Mom Lena鈥檚 Wet Corn Bread

It took 30 years for Cindy Beauchamp to get the details of her in-laws鈥� corn bread recipe, a Delmarva staple that draws on northern, southern, and Algonquin traditions and is denser and sweeter than most southern corn breads. The original formula, which was handed down through the generations to Mom-Mom Lena鈥攖he mother of Cindy鈥檚 husband, Gilbert鈥攊ncluded a measurement based on the size of a so-called banty egg. 鈥淚 laughed and said I did not know what that was,鈥� Cindy recalls. Bantam is a term used for many kinds of small fowl; a banty egg weighs roughly an ounce.

• 2 cups white cornmeal
• 3 cups cold water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter

Whisk the cornmeal and water in a pot and cook over medium-high heat until thick. Let cool. Mix the sugar, eggs, salt, baking powder, flour, and milk, and add this to the cooled cornmeal mixture. Stir until smooth. Place a stick of butter in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, then put the dish in a 400-degree oven. Coat the pan鈥檚 bottom and sides; pour off and save any excess butter. Pour the cornmeal mixture into the pan, and bake for 45 minutes. Drip the remaining melted butter over the top and finish baking until brown, about five to ten minutes.

Carrie Samis鈥檚 Crab Cakes

Delmarva is an unusual and endearing place, and few have embraced its quirks the way Carrie Samis has. A lifelong resident who works in Princess Anne, Maryland, she once persuaded the chef at the Washington Inn and Tavern鈥攁 famous old restaurant in town鈥攖o make muskrat stew, a humble dish served at plenty of church dinners but not many fine-dining establishments. Here Carrie offers a Chesapeake Bay classic: crab cakes. If you鈥檇 like to buy premade crab cakes, Smith Island鈥檚 ships anywhere in the country.

• 1 pound blue crab meat
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 squirt tangy mustard
• 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• Dashes of red-pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and Old Bay seasoning
• 4 teaspoons chopped parsley
• Panko breadcrumbs or crushed saltines鈥攋ust enough to bind the other ingredients

Mix everything in a bowl. Pat the crab mixture into cakes, and toss them into a frying pan that contains a small amount of hot olive oil. Saut茅 until they鈥檙e crispy around the edges. Best served with no condiments鈥攁lthough a spicy tartar sauce is OK鈥攁nd a Bloody Mary rimmed with Old Bay.

Karen Brimer鈥檚 Duck and Dumplings

Karen鈥檚 husband, Eddie, spent his life as a commercial waterman and hunter who prowled the areas around Chesapeake Bay鈥檚 Deal Island and beyond looking for wild game. The trick is to brine the duck for 24 hours before cooking, swapping out the water every three to four hours, and never lifting the lid while the dumplings are cooking, which causes them to collapse. 鈥淓ddie did that once,鈥� Karen says, 鈥渁nd he was sorry.鈥�

• 1 duck, wild or farm raised, about two pounds
• Brine: 1/2 cup salt mixed with 1/2 gallon water
• 2 to 3 tablespoons bacon grease
• 1 apple, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 or 4 potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 rutabaga, peeled and chopped
• Splash of white wine

For the dumplings:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening

Place your duck in a pot, then cover it with brine, changing it every three to four hours for 24 hours. Rinse the duck, pat it dry, and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Melt a dollop of bacon grease in a large, heavy pot, cooking over medium-high heat. Brown each side of the duck until the skin has a dark caramel color. Discard the grease, then deglaze the pot with a cup of water or chicken broth鈥攕craping up and saving any brown bits. Stuff the duck鈥檚 body cavity with the apples and onions. Put it in the pot, along with the chopped potatoes and rutabaga, and add broth or water until the duck is submerged. Cover with a lid, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer on low for two to three hours until the broth is reduced by half.

To make the dumplings, mix the dry ingredients, and work in the shortening with a fork until pea-size balls of floury dough start to form. Add between a third cup and a half cup of ice-cold water, and gently bring the dough together. It should not be tacky.

On a floured surface, shape the dough into a rectangle 迟丑补迟鈥檚 a half-inch thick. Cut it into eight pieces, each about two square inches. When the broth is ready, remove the pot from the heat and lay the dumplings atop the duck and vegetables. Cover, bring to a medium boil, and cook for about 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid. Your dumplings should be puffy when done.

To make a gravy for all this, put salt, pepper, and 2 to 3 tablespoons of flour in a Ball jar with a lid. Adding water one tablespoon at a time, shake the jar until the flour is dissolved and no lumps remain. Gradually add this to the juices in the pot and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Pour over duck, dumplings, and vegetables.

English鈥檚 Sweet Potato Biscuits

With so many chicken farms around, Delmarvans got very good at frying the birds, and many people say that a small local chain called English鈥檚 did it best. The last of its restaurants closed in 2015, but Don Herman, who ran English鈥檚 for 23 years, publicly shared the eatery鈥檚 beloved recipe for sweet potato biscuits. Wendy Robertson of Somerset County sent me a copy of an old newspaper clipping that explains it all.

• 3 1/2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/4 cups margarine at room temperature
• 2 cups cake flour
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Cook the sweet potatoes, rinse with cold water, peel, and drain. Refrigerate until cold. Mash with a fork. Combine the potatoes with the sugar and margarine in a mixer set on low. Add the cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda, then mix well. Knead the dough by hand in a large bowl, then chill. Roll on a floured surface to a thickness of a quarter-inch; cut with a biscuit tool. Coat a cookie sheet with cooking spray, and bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes.

Smith Island Cake

Ten miles offshore, Smith Island was settled by the British in the early 17th century, when Captain John Smith explored Chesapeake Bay. Today it remains Maryland鈥檚 only inhabited island with no bridge to the mainland. Stories say island women would bake cakes to send off with husbands who worked the oyster beds, and over the years the cakes took on more and more layers. Anywhere from seven to ten is considered right. 鈥淢ore than that and it don鈥檛 look like a cake鈥攊t looks like the Leaning Tower of Pisa,鈥� says Mary Ada Marshall, whose family arrived on Smith in 1608. Here鈥檚 her recipe for the multilayered wonder 迟丑补迟鈥檚 now the state dessert. Use a boxed cake mix or your favorite sponge recipe, and bake the layers in batches.

For the cake:

• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1 box Duncan Hines classic yellow cake mix

Mix ingredients in a bowl. Use the back of a spoon to gently and evenly spread the batter to cover the bottom of each cake pan. (If you don鈥檛 have multiple pans, do this in stages.) Bake at 350 degrees for eight to ten minutes. The batter should yield seven layers.

For the icing:

• 1 pound powdered sugar
• 3 heaping tablespoons cocoa
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 1 stick cold butter

Put the powdered sugar, cocoa, and evaporated milk in a saucepan and mix. Add the cold butter. Place over high heat, stirring constantly, until the ingredients are combined and the butter melts. Remove from heat, and whip the icing a few times. It should have a glossy appearance.

Assembling the cake:

Add a dollop of icing in the middle of a cake plate, and put the first layer in place. Add a large spoonful of icing to the top of the layer, then spread the icing to the edges of the cake. Place the second layer, and repeat the process until you鈥檝e done seven layers. Once you add the top layer, spread icing on the sides first, then frost the top of the cake.

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As of press time, some trails, campsites, and businesses are closed due to Covid-19 precautions. To check for safety protocols and potential closures, visit the individual websites before you go.

Summer road trips to national parks feel like an American rite of passage. But in winter? That鈥檚 when the hardiest travel to our country鈥檚 wildest places for snow-covered volcanic landscapes, cool desert vibes, and empty beaches. We鈥檝e put together regional road trip suggestions in various parts of the country to help you explore some of your area鈥檚 lesser-known national parks during the least busy time of the year.

Southern California

On the southern border of California鈥檚 Sierra Nevada, two stunning national parks sit side by side:听. It鈥檚 worth visiting both of them. To get here, it鈥檚 a five-hour drive from Los Angeles or four hours from San Francisco. In winter, you鈥檒l find ranger-guided snowshoe hikes, cross-country skiing, and the world鈥檚 largest tree鈥擥eneral Sherman, a towering sequoia that weighs more than 2.7 million pounds鈥攃overed in snow. Book a room or cabin at the听 (from $129), just outside the Sequoia National Park entrance in the town of Three Rivers.

From there, it鈥檚 four hours to听Death Valley National Park, where you鈥檒l appreciate the contrast from snowy peaks to rolling sand dunes in a below-sea-level basin. The climate in Death Valley is ideal during the winter months. Hike the trail along the southwest rim of a dormant volcano at Death Valley鈥檚 Ubehebe Crater, and meander along Artist鈥檚 Drive, a nine-mile road that passes through hillsides colorfully tinted with volcanic sediment.听 (from $22) is open year-round and is the only campground in the park that accepts reservations.

Eastern Seaboard

Just 90 minutes from Washington, D.C., you鈥檒l find the forested hills of听, a small but scenic national park in Maryland with 25 miles of hiking trails and the presidential retreat of Camp David in a top-secret locale. If you鈥檙e a rock climber, there鈥檚 bouldering throughout the park year-round and sport climbing at Wolf Rock, a short hike from the park鈥檚 visitor鈥檚 center. For non-climbers, the four-mile round-trip hike to听听promises panoramic views. The park has听 year-round in rustic backcountry shelters (from $10) accessed via a three-mile trek.

A visit to听 is just 23 miles west. The C&O Canal, which has a multiuse dirt-and-stone walking path, stretches for 185 miles from Washington, D.C., along the Potomac River into Cumberland, Maryland. Driving along the C&O Canal Scenic Byway makes for a great road trip.

Next, head to the beaches of听, a 40-mile stretch of coastline across Maryland and Virginia. The beach camping (from $30) fills up months in advance during summer, but from November to March, campsites are first come, first served and far less busy. You鈥檒l pitch a tent on the sand of this barrier island amid听herds of wild horses.

To add one more stop, enjoy a half-day听drive to West Virginia鈥檚听New River Gorge National Park, where the famed New River Gorge Bridge spans over the water and rock climbers flock to the sandstone walls along the gorge. The park has more than 100 miles of hiking trails. Sleep nearby in a听 (from $201; via Airbnb) suspended in an old-growth forest.

Desert Southwest

While crowds converge on southern Utah鈥檚 well-known national parks like Arches and Zion even in the winter months, New Mexico鈥檚 parks remain off the radar. From Denver, it鈥檚 an eight-hour drive to听, a remote archaeological site in northern New Mexico 迟丑补迟鈥檚 designated an International Dark Sky Park for its stellar stargazing. The trails here are covered in snow in winter, but you can still study the architectural feats of the Ancestral Puebloans and gaze through a telescope to a clear night sky. Drive听three听hours east to visit the historic pueblo of Taos and听stay in a vintage trailer across from at听 (from $95).

Head six hours south to hit听, where its stunning dunes look white as snow and are just as much fun as snow to sled down. Winter is a great time to visit while avoiding summer鈥檚 scorching temperatures. Hike the dunes along five designated trails, or continue your road trip along the Dunes Drive, an eight-mile roadway that takes you into the heart of the dunes. This听 (from $75; via Airbnb) in a historic adobe home in San Miguel is about an hour from the dunes and has its own hot tub.

It鈥檚 another three hours toward the Texas border to reach New Mexico鈥檚 , where you can tour several of the underground caves on your own, along with听miles of above-ground hiking trails across the Chihuahuan Desert. You鈥檒l find plenty of inns at the park鈥檚 gateway town, White鈥檚 City.

Rocky Mountains

In summer and fall, rock climbers go to听 in southern Idaho鈥攁bout three hours north of Salt Lake City or ten-plus hours from Seattle鈥攖o scale听the granite faces the park is known for. But the place is practically empty in winter. You鈥檒l find ice climbing for the well-initiated, or you can cross-country ski on the unplowed roads throughout the park. Stay at the 11-room听 (from $120) in the nearby town of Almo.

It鈥檚 worth the extended detour into the city of Boise, Idaho, where skiing at听 is less than an hour from downtown. You can make a reservation for a hot springs soak, or book a private tub (from $20) at听 in nearby Idaho City. The听 (from $116) has sleek rooms and an attached bar (currently closed due to COVID-19) in Boise鈥檚 artsy Linen District.

At听, about three hours from Boise outside the town of Arco, Idaho, you can explore lava tubes via snowshoes or cross-country skis along the park鈥檚 often-groomed Craters鈥� Loop Road, which is closed to cars from November to April.

Want more? It鈥檚 a half-day听drive from Craters of the Moon to reach the iconic scenery of听 and, which are far less crowded during winter and just as stunning covered in snow.

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My shadow resembled a silhouette painted against an old Appalachian road. It became my companion as I struggled up a solitary mountain incline between the Pennsylvania towns of Bedford and Greensburg.

The mountain didn鈥檛 relent. Each turn revealed another punishing stretch to ascend. I听shifted my gaze between the road before me and听down at my shaking legs as I strained to put one foot in front of the other. Sweat slid down my forehead. The sun intensified the humid air.

It was the summer of 2006. I was cycling from Maryland to California to raise money for cancer patients, caregivers, and survivors, with a student-led group called Hopkins . Our team had 27 riders鈥攎ostly students who attended college in Baltimore, like I did. My Armenian parents had immigrated there from Beirut, Lebanon, in the 1970s. My father worked in the city, and I had a comfortable childhood in the suburbs. During vacations, we often visited our relatives in Lebanon, which was just emerging from 15 years of civil war.听

As I climbed farther up the mountain, I thought about my grandmother听Knarig, a breast cancer survivor who had lived through years of war; I thought about Nayiri, an Armenian family friend from Egypt who had battled ovarian cancer. If our loved ones could endure years of illness, chemotherapy, and social upheaval, what was a steep ride up a mountain?听

Crickets creaked from the roadside pines. Then, a leafy patch of green was interrupted by a blue sign: LOOKOUT POINT MOUNT ARARAT, ALLEGHENY MOUNTAINS, ELEVATION 2,464 FT.

Mount Ararat was not a name I had expected to see in Appalachia. I was familiar with the original: a dormant volcano located in what is now eastern Turkey. The mountain . It represents our connection to Christianity (Armenians formed the first Christian nation in 301 CE) and the indigenous region where we lived for millennia. According to the Book of Genesis, after the Great Flood.听

Seeing a familiar name energized my aching legs, propelling me through the final part of the climb. At the summit, I sat on a mound of dirt and caught my breath, awaiting the other riders. I wondered if the sign had grabbed anyone else鈥檚 attention, especially a Turkish-American on the team named Ersin.听

For an Armenian like me, encountering Turkishness鈥攖he language, the idea, the people鈥攊s fraught. Between 1915 and 1923, the Ottoman Empire (now the Republic of Turkey) , my ancestors among them, in a sustained and brutal genocide. Afterward, Turkey鈥檚 government , and there are听Turkish people who still believe that it never happened,听even though it is recognized internationally as historical fact.听

Nearly a century later, as our team rode bicycles across a different continent, that history鈥攁nd the way it had affected and uprooted generations of my family鈥攎ade me wary of Ersin. When he reached the summit of this American Mount Ararat, I did not ask if he had seen the sign, though I knew the name would have been significant to him, too.

But I was still thinking about it that evening when our team reached Greensburg, Pennsylvania, where a community group was hosting us for the night in a gymnasium. Sleeping bags littered the floor, and the stench of sweaty socks wafted through the air. Some of my teammates sat in the nearby parking lot running their bike chains through rags to clean the grease. Others played cards听under a basketball hoop. I strolled along the gym鈥檚 sideline when, in the distance, I heard a familiar word: 鈥淏aba.鈥澨�

鈥淏aba鈥� is what I call my father. I had only ever heard Armenians use the term, but as I looked over toward Ersin, holding a bricklike cellphone in his hand (this was 2006, after all), I realized it must also be used in Turkish. He began to speak other familiar words: janim (my dear), chojookh (child), and fasoolya (beans). I had听not realized until that moment that our Armenian dialect contained Turkish听phrases.听听听

Turkish was the language of the Ottoman Empire. It was spoken by the government and troops who committed the Armenian Genocide. For my anscestors, the Turkish language was omnipresent throughout that dark time, and it triggered bitter memories. During that period, my great-grandfather Mardiros survived four years of enslavement. In his memoir, in 1978, he wrote of a Turkish teenager brandishing a blade while searching for gyavoors (animals), a derogatory term used to refer to Armenians. My grandparents, Vartan and Yersapet, were among the proud but oppressed Armenian minorities in the Ottoman province of Adana. Like Armenians of that generation, they spoke Turkish and lacked the incentive or security to preserve their mother tongue.

Eventually they moved to听Lebanon, which gave听Armenian Genocide survivors the chance at a new life and community. A generation later, as a way to retain their native language,听my father and his classmates in Beirut were told to always speak Armenian, even as they were surrounded by Lebanon鈥檚 multilingual world that blended Arabic, French, English, Armenian, and Turkish.听

As I learned this history from my family and in Armenian Sunday school, the narrative slipped into a binary: Turkish perpetrators, Armenian victims. Turkey was guilty, Armenia was innocent. Turks were bad, Armenians were good. I seldom heard a more nuanced perspective. If I had, I鈥檓 not sure I would have had the maturity to grasp it.听

But at the time of the cycling trip, I had completed two years of college and grown more open to the world鈥檚 complexities. Maybe it was the mindfulness I learned about in a class on Buddhism听or the courage I cultivated as a student of theater and writing. More and more, I trusted that questioning assumptions and stepping beyond my comfort zone would spark valuable growth.听

So,听in that American gymnasium, hearing Ersin utter familiar words made me decide to seek our common ground.

During the next day of riding, our team faced a 103-mile haul through the Rust Belt, from Greensburg, Pennsylvania, to Youngstown, Ohio, featuring听a strenuous set of rolling hills. We found respite on flat roads separating cornfields, which we shared with Amish horse-drawn buggies. The Appalachians had tested our spirits. On the first day, a teammate had broken her wrist, and on the second day, another teammate鈥檚 collarbone suffered a similar fate. At that early stage of the trip, success meant avoiding major injuries and making it to the evenings, when the stories and encouragement of our hosts recharged our spirits. Since our ride had begun in northern Maryland, Pennsylvania was the first full state we crossed. It took three days, and with the Ohio border approaching, the reality of our long adventure was finally setting in. I felt invigorated by how far we had come听and was eager to continue conquering challenges.听

I decided during lunch to broach 鈥渢he subject鈥� with Ersin. 鈥淭he subject鈥� was the Armenian Genocide. My stomach tensed as I worried about how he would respond to the topic. Would he scoff? Would he walk away? Would he charm me into believing a lie?听

Until that moment, our conversations had been brief, but aside from his Turkishness, Ersin鈥檚 sense of humor and joie de vivre had piqued my curiosity. Once I had resolved to ask him about the genocide, I suddenly became afraid of missing my chance. What if one of us crashed and had to go home? What if our relationship was characterized by superficial banter? I worried about squandering an opportunity to unpack something I鈥檇 only read about in books听or heard about through traumatic stories.听

I waited for the final moments of lunch that day before approaching him. Much of the team had dozed off for a quick nap or busied themselves tuning up their bicycles. Ersin sat alone on a shady patch of grass under an oak tree. I joined him and, after some pleasantries, raised the subject.

鈥淟isten, man,鈥� I said, trying to establish a casual tone for an uncomfortable topic. 鈥淚, uh, wanted to ask you. You know. Um, your thoughts about the Armenian Genocide. Like, I鈥檓 just curious, is it something you鈥檝e heard of? Have you learned about it? I鈥檓 just wondering because, you know, I鈥檓 Armenian.鈥�

The silence stretched between us, until Ersin started laughing. I joined him. Levity would soon become our way of navigating awkwardness.

鈥淚t鈥檚 complicated,鈥� Ersin admitted. 鈥淵ou know I鈥檓 not even fully Turkish, right? My grandparents are Georgian and Circassian and other stuff, too. That鈥檚 common in Turkey. A bunch of people run around pretending they鈥檙e full-blooded Turks, when, in truth, most are mixed.鈥�

鈥淚 had no idea,鈥� I answered.

鈥淭urkey鈥檚 government?鈥� Ersin said, shaking his head. 鈥淚f they say something鈥檚 true, then it鈥檚 probably false,听or if they say something鈥檚 false, then it鈥檚 probably true, unless they鈥檙e playing a mind game, which happens often.鈥�

鈥淪o what about the genocide?鈥� I pushed.

鈥淢an, I don鈥檛 know,鈥� he said, with a tone of exasperation much larger than our conversation. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no doubt that hundreds of thousands of Armenians were murdered during wartime chaos.鈥澨�

I had heard that line before. It sounded like the Turkish government鈥檚 denialist , a series of whataboutisms that disputed factual evidence.

鈥淲as it genocide?鈥� he continued. 鈥淲as it organized from the highest levels of government and carried out by local officials and soldiers? Or was it another act of barbarity in a violent time? I just don鈥檛 know. I haven鈥檛 seen any evidence that resolves the question.鈥�

I asked Ersin if he had read Peter Balakian鈥檚 2003 book,听. The landmark bestseller used primary sources from Ottoman and American officials to show that the Ottoman Empire鈥檚 campaign against Armenians met the of genocide that the United Nations adopted after World War II. Ersin had only heard of the book.

鈥淢aybe after the ride is over, I can send you a copy,鈥� I said.

鈥淚 would love that,鈥� Ersin answered. I found myself encouraged by his openness to new ideas听and willingness to buck assumptions. My glimpses into Ersin鈥檚 personality鈥攃urious, creative, compassionate鈥攚ere confirmed. I began to see his Turkishness the way I saw my Armenianness: not as a total definition, but as an aspect of our identities that we could help one another understand.

In the weeks that followed, our team crossed the Midwest, where the undulating Ozarks gave way to fields of wheat, soy, and livestock. Our anticipation grew as we prepared to climb the mighty Rocky Mountains. In Yuma, Colorado, we caught our first glance of their palatial, snowcapped peaks. At first, I thought they were clouds.

Ersin and I spent more and more time together, exploring the cultural space that we shared: one where Armenia and Turkey intersected in America. In Chicago, we woke up early, gathered trays of extra food donations, and ventured through the neighborhood where our team was staying. On a quiet street lined with elm trees and walk-ups, we gave the food to an unhoused man. We couldn鈥檛 fix the traumas and tensions we inherited from our ancestors, but at least we could do something in the moment to make the world just a little less dark.听

We also found relief in humor. In a Nebraska gym, we lobbed basketballs across the court, shouting more common words we shared in Turkish and Armenian: lebleboo! (roasted chickpeas), bashkebozuk! (crazy head), diskotek! During lunch breaks, we sometimes paced around our teammates, pretending to be Old World villagers,听hands tucked behind our backs as we chided everyone in sight.听

鈥淭hese Americans,鈥� Ersin scoffed with his thickest Turkish villager accent. 鈥淔reak dancing and bicycle riding and fundraising. What is this, eh?鈥�

I pretended to be an Armenian American from the mid-Atlantic named J铆ro, speaking in gravelly sotto voce and spritzing invisible cologne. Imitating his Turkish father, Ersin scolded J铆ro: 鈥淵ou should do something more professional with your summer, like an internship. Where will you get in life spraying cologne and riding a bicycle?鈥澨�

鈥淪an Francisco!鈥� I answered.

By mid-July, our team reached the deserts of Utah. Red columns of sandstone and massive white domes loomed over us as we emerged from Capitol Reef National听Park, pedaling through hellish heat toward Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. As we rode through the barren, rugged terrain, I tried not to think about the fact that the beauty of the open country also meant a scarcity of resources.听

We spotted a convenience store on a desolate stretch of road and stopped to get provisions. Passing a newspaper stand, I noticed a photograph of a cloud of smoke hanging above a familiar city: Beirut, my parents鈥� hometown where many of my relatices still lived.

鈥淚srael Bombs Lebanon,鈥� the headline read. As I learned about , and the Hezbollah-led border raid that precipitated it, my stomach turned. I imagined my grandmother sitting in her apartment, knitting a sweater, as听her home suddenly flooded with shrapnel and smoke.听

I tried calling my family in Maryland for updates, but there was no stable signal in the desert. I would have to hope for the best until I could speak to someone. During a water stop, my teammates saw that I was upset. I shared the news. In the sweltering heat, few had the bandwidth to commiserate about a conflict half a world away. One American teammate suggested Lebanon asked for it by not properly dealing with Hezbollah. Ersin and I looked at each other. I shook my head. He snickered at how outrageous the comment was.听

Standing there in Utah, I experienced for the first time the visceral disorientation caused by violence impacting my loved ones. But what I felt鈥攕eparation, confusion, concern鈥攚as a sliver of what my family had endured for generations. The safety of my upbringing in Maryland protected me from events that I thought were things of the past, the stuff of family stories: the stray bullet that claimed my uncle鈥檚 life during ; my mother watching blood flow down her neighborhood street after a nearby bomb detonated; my great-grandfather surviving a Turkish firing squad that killed 1,000 Armenians in minutes. Looking at that newspaper in the middle of the American desert, I wondered whether it was now my turn to know familial loss and feel helpless. Was this some cruel right of passage that would truly link me to that part of the world, or to my inheritance?

The next day, we rode past the , which featured the 3,000-year-old remnants of an Indigenous community. Though we lacked the time for a proper visit, it reminded me that the land we were crossing, and the country we called America, was, like the land where my ancestors had lived, stolen. The genocide and marginalization of Indigenous people in the Southwest was as brutal and undeniable as the desert sun pounding on our backs.听

But in those arid valleys stretching to the horizon, I noticed no flags, skyscrapers, or placards of national possession. Out there, the ownership of land seemed like a myth used to tame an unconquerable planet with its imposing mountains, endless forests, and hypnotic deserts. We did not own or control the land. We were at its mercy.

The distinguished Armenian American writer听听had similar insights while examining the statelessness that Armenians had endured in the wake of genocide and Soviet occupation. 鈥淭here are only Armenians, and they inhabit the earth, not Armenia, since there is no Armenia,鈥� Saroyan wrote in 1935, decades before Armenia became an independent republic in 1991.听鈥淪ince there is no Armenia, gentlemen, there is no America and there is no England, and no France, and no Italy, there is only the earth.鈥� Saroyan was describing听the Armenian experience, but his words had broader implications: If there are no nations, then what do we have? We have our planet. We have ourselves. We have each other. We have a choice: to embrace our common creed as humans听or to lose ourselves in the fog of hatred and greed.

Ten days later, a 鈥淲elcome to California鈥� sign shook me from the trance of those thoughts. We had almost arrived. The towering Sierra Nevada reminded me that no amount of pontificating in my head would help propel one foot in front of the other. The air thinned. The inclines steepened. It was just me, the mountain, and my shadow, that rocking companion, as we crossed the final mountain range.

Five days after that, from a hill in Marin County, I gazed at San Francisco in the distance. I noticed Victorian homes, Spanish mission鈥搒tyle churches, and the way land and water interlocked. The small building lights twinkling on rolling hills felt familiar, like the view from my grandmother鈥檚 fifth-story apartment in Beirut, another city where mountains slope into the sea. The news from Lebanon was that our family emerged unscathed from Israel鈥檚 initial bombardments. They were safe, for now.

On the final day, we rode through the neat streets of Sausalito and over the Golden Gate Bridge. Charged with excitement, Ersin and I revisited the characters we inhabited: an Armenian grandmother, a Turkish merchant, a New York loudmouth, a Chicago Casanova, and many others. We had traversed 13 states in two months. I had a new family of fellow cyclists. And in Ersin, I had a brother. Without our ride across America, the generosity of our hosts, the spirit of our teammates, the tenacity of those for whom we rode, and the teachings of nature in every landscape we biked through, I might never have discovered Ersin鈥檚 joyful and rich humanity.听Our friendship helped me grasp my inheritance鈥攁s an Armenian, as an American, as a human鈥攁nd to begin the journey of processing it on my own terms. No conflict, division, or border could eclipse the lessons found in friendship, harmony, and nature.听听

鈥淚鈥檒l send you that Balakian book in a few weeks,鈥� I said.

Ersin patted me on the shoulder. 鈥淧lease do.鈥�

The post How Biking Across America Formed an Unlikely Friendship appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.